Hard News: Transferring wealth to Wellington
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Echoing Robyn et al, isn't "Wellington" an exceedingly inappropriate metonym to use for a National government?
For one thing, all the electorate MPs (including for the electorate within which Parliament and most Ministries are located) in Wellington, aside from old Lego Hair, are Labour.
Wouldn't it be more appropriate to say you're transferring wealth to Epsom? The architect of this travesty is from your own back yard.
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So all those civil service jobs, the 10% higher than Auckland salaries and the whopping extra funding for anything in the arts/culcha in Welly are all paid for by . . . Peter Jackson? Just take some responsibility as the capital city - it's not personal. We all know and like at least one person from Welly.
SORRY! cancel all that - don't want to start an Aucks/Welly battle. -
Wellington is next for the 'supercity' treatment - and I mean the region not the government.
I suspect Russell used it purely for the alliteration with "wealth", journo that he is. Interesting just how sensitive some Wellingtonians seem to be about this though. What's the matter? It's the price you pay for your local economy being propped up by government, surely - just as it is for those other capital cities like Washington, Moscow and Kuala Lumpur, whether specially constructed or not. Do their denizens complain?
Snap, Luke
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A couple of hundred years ago some folks got their knickers in a knot over something they called taxation without representation.
Taxation and rates are social contracts between the populace and those who spend that money. What seems to be being attempted here is to take the money as rates from Aucklanders and spend that money to benefit New Zealanders. If I were an Aucklander I might get a bit annoyed about that ... oh wait I am an Aucklander.
How about we take Dunedin city rates and spend them on new public toilets in Auckland? Or Christchurch rates and use them to fund a competitive Auckland Rugby team?
That of course sets aside the issue of representation in the CCOs themselves.
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Stephen, Robyn - didn't you get the letter about this? All us Wellingtonians get $50 cash out of the super city rates. Yay!
Mind you, when we get supercitified, the cash goes to Christchurch. And when they go under the gun themselves, there's going to be a lot of happy people in Bluff.
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Interesting just how sensitive some Wellingtonians seem to be about this though.
I brought it up because the headline made me do a double-take. A sort of "Wait, what's happening to Wellington?!" The sub-editor in me doesn't like it just as much as the Wellingtonian in me.
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Luke - wtf does arts funding have to do with Wellington being the capital. Seriously?
And Sacha, its just not the usual metonym here. For years we've talked about "the Beehive" directing things, not Wellington. Just as in the UK they talk about directions from Whitehall, not London.
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I suspect Russell used it purely for the alliteration with "wealth", journo that he is. Interesting just how sensitive some Wellingtonians seem to be about this though.
I'll always go for the alliteration ...
But the use of "Wellington" in this context has a long history -- especially with regard to Auckland governance issues. Surely everyone knows and understands it's a reference to central government? Just as "Washington" is in the US?
There's no need to go looking for offence where none exists.
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For years we've talked about "the Beehive" directing things, not Wellington. Just as in the UK they talk about directions from Whitehall, not London.
Fair point. Would "Transferring bucks to the Beehive" work as a headline?
The sub-editor in me
Ah, so it's yer basic newsroom clash :)
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3410,
For years we've talked about "the Beehive" directing things, not Wellington.
That's because you're in Wellington. We (often) do say "Wellington" as shorthand for govt. Trust me, it's no slight on any Wellingtonians, or on Wellingtonians in general.
ETA: or trust Russell, if you consider him easier to trust. ;)
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There's no need to go looking for offence where none exists.
What he said. Having lived in Wellington, I support both The Hurricanes (Auckland Rugby? Meh!) and The Phoenix, and love nothing better than spending days in the sun at the basin, as I did last week.
But if you're going to get precious about the difference between 'The Beehive' and 'Wellington', or 'Wellingtonians' and 'Public Servants' then the jokes will continue to write themselves.
And you think we're proud of our current crop of both public servants and sports teams? Throw some back. We can take it.
[Rushes off to the Tui website to make a billboard]
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If it were just a question of elegant metonymy, "the Beehive" would be more accurate.
Except that's the same essentially bullshitty rhetorical slight of hand that allows you to pretend that government is some mysterious "they" you're in no way responsible for. Hell, it's nigh on Tea Party-ish just with whatever's going cheap at Pack 'n Save this week.
As you're all probably sick of hearing me say, really nice to see various media outlets deciding that local government actually matters but it's waaaay too late.
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Surely everyone knows and understands it's a reference to central government?
My issue is that in this case, when the topic is the city of Auckland, it implies that the issue is between Auckland city and Wellington city, when it's actually between Auckland city and the national government.
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Fair point too
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My issue is that in this case, when the topic is the city of Auckland, it implies that the issue is between Auckland city and Wellington city, when it's actually between Auckland city and the national government.
But who actually thinks that the issue is between us and the good folk of Wellington city? I think the meaning is well established in this context, and quite clear.
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Yeah, and you Wellingtonians shouldn't complain: at least you are getting a new statue.
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Rodney maintains the opening of various losses for tax purposes will more than make up for CCO tax
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1003/S00376.htmAs an aside, it always amuses me when press releases attribute quotes to two people at once.
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Personally, I assumed the headline was about buying lumps of delicious pastry-wrapped beef.
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Revenue Minister Peter Dunne says that, while it is possible that some current non-taxable activities will become taxable, significant prior and ongoing tax losses will be offset against taxable income in the future.
“It is expected, that on the basis of published accounts, the combined councils will have existing losses of over $100 million and that ongoing losses will easily offset any new tax exposure,” says Peter Dunne.
Questions for the more economically literate:
1) Does that mean the (already-indebted) Councils will have to run up extra deficits to make up for the extra taxable income in the CCOs?
2) What will be the impact on credit ratings and applicable debt interest, especially if there are significant asset sales?
3) Wouldn't you expect this type of stuff to be worked out before decisions were made about how to split and structure the functions?
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if significant savings wasn't the point of super sizing the city, what was?
Innovation.
I'm sure I read innovation somewhere.
And yeah, that Wellington thing, MMP changed the dynamics so use another term. We do stupid enough without others piling alleged stupidity on us.
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Personally, I assumed the headline was about buying lumps of delicious pastry-wrapped beef.
yeah, that's right, what's your beef Wellington?
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Personally, I assumed the headline was about buying lumps of delicious pastry-wrapped beef.
Alternate headlines: Give Wellington the boot.
Oh, sorry, tautology. </troll>
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We wouldn't be having these problems if Auckland was the capital of NZ as it should be.
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The trouble is, it doesn't quite work to use "Wellington"
How about " Wallywood" for Gummint then?
I'll get my coat....
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And yeah, that Wellington thing, MMP changed the dynamics so use another term. We do stupid enough without others piling alleged stupidity on us
Pah. Wellington don't know nuttin' about stupid.
We wrote the book on stupid. It was later remaindered to The Goldmine.
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